One of seven Greater Painted Snipe seen at Abassa Fish Ponds during our #Egypt tour. Another Western Palearctic speciality you have to get in this amazing country. #birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #zootherabirding

A couple more target birds from #Egypt we saw really well were African Green Bee-eater and Indian Silverbill.
#birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birding #westernpalearctic

Stunning views of several Village Weavers on islands in Lake Nasser, Abu Simbel during our current #Egypt tour. The only site in the Western Palearctic to see this species. Mega!
#BirdsSeenIn2026 #birds #birding #zootherabirding

We found a mixed flock of 24+ Crimson-rumped Waxbills and 20+ Indian Silverbills feeding at the edge of a weedy field at Abu Simbel #Egypt
The waxbill is one of the rarest birds in the Western Palearctic. Result!!! #birds #birding #BirdsSeenIn2026

Yeah we are primarily targeting Village Weaver & Crimson-rumped Waxbill. Sadly there’s little chance of skimmer or the dove these days.

Moving further south to Abu Simbel we tracked down several Yellow-billed Storks - a true Western Palearctic rarity from Africa and only found here. #Egypt #birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #zootherabirding #birding

Stunning!

Along the Nile River at Aswan #Egypt we encountered many Western (formerly African) Swamphens and Senegal Thick-knees. The latter species is only found in the Western Palearctic in Egypt. #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birds #birding #nikon #zootherabirding

Currently leading a tour in #Egypt searching for Western Palearctic megas. And we started well with stunning Nile Valley Sunbirds along the Nile River at Aswan.
#birds #zootherabirding #nikon #BirdsSeenIn2026

Join me on an Azerbaijan mini-break in June 2026 - Shikra, Caucasian Grouse, Caucasian Snowcock, Caspian Tit, Mountain Chiffchaff, White-winged Redstart, Great Rosefinch. #birds #birdtours #westernpalearctic

www.zootherabirding.com/azerbaijan-b...

Eastern Subalpine Warbler is a rare bird in Algeria

Pale Crag Martin

White-crowned Wheatear

Brown-necked Raven

Here’s a few more birds from southern #Algeria Was really pleased to see Eastern Subalpine Warbler - a rare bird but likely underreported in the area. Other pics: Pale Crag Martin, White-crowned Wheatear & Brown-necked Raven. #birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #nikon #birding

Both Vitelline Masked Weaver & White-rumped Seedeater are doing well in southern #Algeria but neither is a countable Western Palearctic species yet. The weaver is spreading quite a long way out into surrounding wadis and I think more research is needed on it. #birds #birding #BirdsSeenIn2026

Around Tamanrasset in southern #Algeria there’s a bunch of species more than likely escaped from captivity but now thriving in the wild. One of them is the superb Senegal Parrot…
#birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birding #WesternPalearctic

The final major target species from southern #Algeria was the stunning Sudan Golden Sparrow. Only present in a few areas of the southern border with the Western Palearctic it is truly a #mega #birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birding

One of the Big 3 targets for Southern #Algeria was Red-billed Firefinch. And it’s another #mega Western Palearctic tick, which proved to be pretty common.
#birds #birding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #nikon

We flew to Tamanrasset in southern #Algeria for a few more Western Palearctic megas. Next up was African Silverbill & this is its only reliable (and countable) site in the whole WP.
#birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birding #mega #nikon

I’d always wanted to see Maghreb Owl, but these days it’s lumped with Tawny Owl. Oh well, it’s still a great bird!
#birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birding

Algerian Nuthatch is the primary reason to visit #Algeria and is one of the most localised & rarest species that breeds in the Western Palearctic. And we had cracking views of a pair in a remote forest. #birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #mega #birding

I’ve never seen so many Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse as I did when we visited southern #Algeria recently. What fantastic birds! #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birding #westernpalearctic #birds

Simon, is it racism to speak out against the Pakistani rape gangs, Sharia courts in the UK, Islamic homophobia, anti-semitism, the beating of women etc by these horrid Islamic extremists?

I wonder why Mr Mitchell is so against the Iranian people and their fight for freedom? And why he continues to attack me?

And I certainly take offence at your libellous claim that I am racist. Really not sure what your obsessive hatred of me is as I’m sure we’ve never met.

I have not been cheerleading anything, simply highlighting the struggle of the Iranian people in their fight against the tyrannical Islamic regime.

Dear Simon,
Following on from our ‘clash’ on Facebook where I was forced to block you, over your hatred of Iranians and their plight. Sadly I am going to have to do the same again here.

Unfortunately I didn’t find it. Wish I had!!!

1st Slaty-breasted Rail for #Oman and the Greater Western Palearctic found on 3rd February in a hotel garden near Salalah! Hopefully it will remain for more birders to see!
#omanbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birds #mega #birding

Only 2.5 months old

We drove him 2 hours to see a vet in Aqaba and he slept all the way there. He had is first jabs and have to wait another week for the next lot.

Can’t believe how trusting he is!!

After his injections we bought him a crate and a soft bed. And we’re lucky to find someone in Aqaba to keep him for us while we have to return to the UK today 😢

So we found this little chap all alone, abandoned & neglected at Petra. Naturally we decided to adopt & have started the process of bringing him back to the UK to live with us. It’s going to take over 4 months but will be totally worth the wait! #Jordan #puppy

Fishing Pied Kingfisher from #Jordan Quite a common bird around the Dead Sea #birds #BirdsSeenIn2026

1st day in #Jordan and I found a mega rare Kurdish Wheatear! Only 8 previously accepted records! Visited a reservoir near Amman & had 15+ Pied Kingfishers, 2 White-throated Kingfishers, 96 Little & 79 Great White Egrets and others. Not to shabby! #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birding #birds

Black-faced Bunting photo by tour participant Gottlieb Dandliker.

I’ve just completed 2 back-to-back trips to The Netherlands & we managed to see some awesome #birds The long-staying 10th Black-faced Bunting for this great country on #Texel was the star bird.

#zootherabirding #birding #Netherlands #winterbirding